Air valve device for snorkel assembly

ABSTRACT

An air valve device for a snorkel device includes a float having a chamber and a bottom port and an upper barrel which has an upper valve seat. A casing has a cylindrical duct slidably engaged on the barrel and may be moved downward along the barrel and disengaged from the valve seat when the casing is buoyant on water such that the air may flow into the float via the casing. The casing may be forced to engage with the valve seat and to block the air passage into the float and to prevent the water from entering into the float when the casing is immerged into the water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a valve device, and more particularly to an air valve device for snorkel assemblies.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The typical snorkel device is shown in FIG. 9 and comprises a mouth piece 10 coupled to a diver's mask 12 and/or an air valve 14 with a hose 11 or the like. Water may enter into the air valve 14 when the air valve is immerged into the water.

[0005] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional snorkel devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an air valve device for a snorkel assembly and for preventing the water from entering into the air valve device when the air valve device is immerged into the water.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an air valve device for a snorkel assembly, the air valve device comprising a float including a chamber formed therein, and including a bottom portion having a port provided therein, and including an upper portion having a barrel extended upward therefrom, the barrel including an upper portion having a valve seat provided therein, and a casing including a cylindrical duct extended downward therefrom and slidably engaged on the barrel, the casing being moved downward along the barrel and disengaged from the valve seat of the barrel when the casing is buoyant on water, such that the air may flow into the float via the casing. The casing may be forced to engage with the valve seat of the barrel when the casing is immerged into the water, such that the water may not flow into the float and the casing when the float and the casing are immerged into the water.

[0008] The upper portion of the barrel includes a sealing ring engaged thereon for defining the valve seat of the barrel. The upper portion of the barrel includes an annular groove formed therein for receiving the sealing ring.

[0009] The barrel includes a bottom portion having at least one notch formed therein for allowing air to flow into the casing via the cylindrical duct of the casing. The barrel includes a peripheral flange extended radially outward from the bottom portion thereof and having the notch formed therein.

[0010] A tube is further provided and received in the float and includes a peripheral panel radially extended outward therefrom and engaged with the port for preventing the water from directly flowing downward through the port.

[0011] The tube includes an upper portion having an opening formed therein for allowing air to flow through the port via the tube. The opening of the tube is preferably facing downward for allowing only the air to flow into the tube.

[0012] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air valve device for a snorkel assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the air valve device;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the operation of the air valve device;

[0017]FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8 are perspective views illustrating the operation of the air valve device; and

[0018]FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a typical air valve device for the snorkel assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, an air valve device in accordance with the present invention is provided for the snorkel assembly and comprises a float 2 including a spherical shape and including a port 22 provided in the bottom thereof for coupling to one or more mouth pieces 77 of the snorkel assembly with a pipe 5 (FIGS. 3-6) or a hose 6 (FIGS. 7-8). The hose 6 may be coupled to two or more mouth pieces 77 of the snorkel assembly with a manifold coupler 7 (FIG. 8) or the like.

[0020] The float 2 includes a barrel 21 extended upward therefrom, and includes an annular groove 27 formed in the upper peripheral portion of the barrel 21 for receiving a sealing ring 4 therein, or the barrel 21 may include a valve seat (4) formed or provided in the upper portion thereof. The barrel 21 includes a peripheral flange 23 extended laterally or radially outward from the bottom portion thereof, and includes one or more notches 24 formed in the peripheral flange 23 of the barrel 21. The float 2 includes a chamber 28 formed therein for receiving air therein and for allowing the float 2 to be buoyant on or above the water 78.

[0021] A casing 3 includes a hollow interior 30 formed therein for buoyancy purposes, and includes a cylindrical duct 31 extended downward therefrom for slidably engaging onto the barrel 21 (FIG. 3) and for selectively engaging with the sealing ring 4 (FIG. 4) in order to block the air passage into the float 2. The cylindrical duct 31 includes an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the barrel 21 for allowing the cylindrical duct 31 to be slided along the barrel 21, and slightly smaller than that of the sealing ring 4 for allowing the cylindrical duct 31 to be sealingly engaged with the sealing ring 4.

[0022] A tube 8 is received in the float 2 and the port 22 of the float 2 and includes one or more projections or a peripheral panel 81 extended radially outward therefrom for engaging with the port 22 and for securing the tube 8 in the float 2. The tube 8 includes an opening 83 formed in the upper portion thereof and facing downward for allowing the air to flow into the tube 8 only and for preventing the water from flowing into the tube 8. It is preferable that the radially extended peripheral panel 81 preferably sealingly engages with the port 22 for preventing the water from directly flowing downward into the pipe 5 or the hose 6, and for allowing the air to flow into the pipe 5 or the hose 6 only via the tube S.

[0023] In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 7, 8, when the float 2 is buoyant above the water 78, the casing 3 may move downward along the barrel 21, for allowing the air to flow through the notches 24 of the peripheral flange 23 of the barrel 21 and to flow into the casing 3 and the float 2 and then to flow into the pipe 5 or the hose 6 via the tube 8. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, when the float 2 is pulled or forced downward to immerge into the water 78, the casing 3 may be buoyant or may be moved upward along the barrel 21 to engage with the sealing ring 4 and to block the air passage into the casing 3, such that the air may not flow into the pipe 5 or the hose 6.

[0024] Accordingly, the air valve device for the snorkel assembly in accordance with the present invention may be used for preventing the water from entering into the air valve device when the air valve device is immerged into the water.

[0025] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. An air valve device for a snorkel assembly, said air valve device comprising: a float including a chamber formed therein, and including a bottom portion having a port provided therein, and including an upper portion having a barrel extended upward therefrom, said barrel including an upper portion having a valve seat provided therein, and a casing including a cylindrical duct extended downward therefrom and slidably engaged on said barrel, said casing being moved downward along said barrel and disengaged from said valve seat of said barrel when said casing is buoyant on water, and said casing being forced to engage with said valve seat of said barrel when said casing is immerged into the water.
 2. The air valve device according to claim 1, wherein said upper portion of said barrel includes a sealing ring engaged thereon for defining said valve seat of said barrel.
 3. The air valve device according to claim 2, wherein said upper portion of said barrel includes an annular groove formed therein for receiving said sealing ring.
 4. The air valve device according to claim 1, wherein said barrel includes a bottom portion having at least one notch formed therein for allowing air to flow into said casing via said cylindrical duct of said casing.
 5. The air valve device according to claim 4, wherein said barrel includes a peripheral flange extended radially outward from said bottom portion thereof and having said at least one notch formed therein.
 6. The air valve device according to claim 1 further comprising a tube received in said float.
 7. The air valve device according to claim 6, wherein said tube includes a peripheral panel radially extended outward therefrom and engaged with said port for preventing the water from directly flowing downward through said port.
 8. The air valve device according to claim 6, wherein said tube includes an upper portion having an opening formed therein for allowing air to flow through said port via said tube.
 9. The air valve device according to claim 8, wherein said opening of said tube is facing downward for allowing only the air to flow into said tube. 